"So it comes down to this, huh?" Ino tried to keep her voice steady, but it was shaking worse than ever. She curled her fingers into fists, trying to stop her body from trembling in fury.

"What do you mean?"

"Our friendship. It meant nothing to you?!"

Sasuke exhaled noisily, averting his gaze. That coward! Ino thought bitterly.

"Ino, just forget it. It would have been better if we weren't friends in the first place."

Ino was itching to punch him again. Maybe then she could knock some sense into that revenge-driven head of his. "Why would it be better? Are you admitting that you're isolating yourself at every turn? Are you admitting that you're wrong? It hurts, Sasuke. It really does."

"And I was never one of the caring types," he shot back, clenching his fists as well. Good. Maybe they could do some physical combat rather than yelling at each other pointlessly. With that thought in mind, a small, humourless smile twisted Ino's lips.

It had taken her a whole year to confront him. And Sasuke, that proud, arrogant fool just didn't care. Ino wanted to punch herself as well for wasting her time making friends with people that didn't want to be her friend. Just when she thought things were working out, just when she thought she had made the two most perfect friendships in the world…they had to go and break them.

She saw her parents squabbling in her mind's eye.

"She's a violet, our Ino!"

"No, she's a cosmos!"

"Mother, Father, just stop, please," Ino had begged. How could she embody sincerity, how could she embody love? And worse of all, how could she represent harmony, when she had just lost both her best friends? That certainly wasn't harmonious. "I'm…better off as an Ino-pig."

Ino snapped back to the present. "Alright, Sasuke," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "But understand what you've done." Then she fled.

And now...she was sulking at favourite meadow, feeling sorry for herself. What a fool I've been…!

"Ino-pig."

She didn't even need to look up. She recognized the voice. By now, she had even recognized the disdainful tone, however painful it had been to admit it. The way she spoke to her was so different from what it had been a year ago. It was hard to imagine how the dynamics between them could have changed so much in such a short period of time. She herself…would never be the same.

"Billboard brow."

Ino picked up a cosmos and twirled it in her fingers, wanting nothing more than to tear it to shreds. Sakura had come up from behind her, she could sense it.

"Y-you were flirting with Sasuke-kun?"

Ino continued to twirl the flower, her face devoid of emotions. Blank. Empty. The way she wished her heart could be.

"No," she responded, pleased that her voice was as blank as her expression. "I was yelling at him."

Sakura must have been shocked to hear it, because she didn't speak for a long time. Then they both turned to look at each other simultaneously and glowered.

"Why, Ino?" Sakura asked, almost calmly. "What gives you the right to yell at Sasuke-kun?"

"It's none of your business," Ino shot back, tired of this nonsense, tired of how much her friends changed. If she had known this was what would have become of them…Sakura…Sasuke…

Sakura glared at her and crossed her arms. "I'll never lose to you. Ever again."

"Neither will I," Ino responded automatically. But she already had, she knew it in the depths of her heart…

And she didn't mind.

-:-

"Good morning, Sakura," Ino had spotted her friend – she shook her head vehemently – rival, she meant, walking towards her. They were real kunoichi of Konoha now, and she was hoping desperately that Sakura would be on the same team as Sasuke so that it might improve their friendship. Sakura looked startled, and then a suspicious look crossed her face.

"Good morning, Ino."

Ino's face hardened. So much for her optimism. Sakura would never change. But then again...hadn't she told herself that the last time? As Ino stepped out of the flower shop, Sakura came by walked alongside her, her posture stiff and hostile. Ino took one look at her face, and anger began to seep through her, despite herself.

"I can't believe they let you graduate," Ino said evenly, looking sideways at Sakura, hoping she would react.

"The past doesn't matter anymore. Starting today, we are both ninjas."

Ino felt a wave of pain at the connotation of her words. Sakura had already renounced their friendship years ago. Why say it again? To break her will? She laughed bitterly to herself.

"I won't lose to you anymore, Ino."

With that, Sakura flounced off ahead, her hair flying. Ino's eyes closed momentarily, and she ran to catch up. Sakura turned around, a look of annoyance on her face. Then she huffed and began to walk faster. Ino groaned in exasperation and chased after Sakura.

-:-

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kun. Can I sit next to you?"

Ino glared at Sakura and stomped over to where she stood. She couldn't help it. First Sakura tried to race her to the Academy, next she knocks over that poor kid Naruto in her haste to talk to Sasuke, what next? This wasn't the Sakura she knew, and she had to do something about it. She grabbed Sakura's arm.

"Hey, I'm going to sit next to him," Ino said, ignoring the look of rage and disbelief on Sakura's face. She wasn't surprised to see that Sasuke hadn't reacted. He never did these days.

"First come, first serve!" Sakura spat, wrenching her arm free.

"I came into the classroom before you!" Ino retorted.

"I did!"

"No, I was first!"

The rest of the kunoichi in the class had come over, causing quite a commotion. Ino gazed smugly at Sasuke, who looked up at last, the usual annoyed look on his face. Finally, a reaction…!

She grinned him, who hn'd in response and turned away.